


Goodbye, Little Village

by orphan_account



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Dad Layton, Gen, Homesickness, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-08 11:18:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18622261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Flora had only recently become a member of the Layton family. She is so grateful to the Professor for rescuing her from the town of robots but after having a nightmare, the Professor comes to her aid.





	Goodbye, Little Village

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I know this is similar to 'Doubts and Fears' (my Layton & Luke fic) but I thought it would be nice to see Layton comforting Flora too.

London: her new home. Flora had never been to a city like this before. She only knew her way around a tiny village called St. Mystere which was also full of robots, not real people. Thinking about how many people must be in this place made her nauseous but she knew the Professor and Luke would be there for her.

Hershel had driven to the Tritons’ house to drop Luke back home, thinking that his parents would have missed him dearly. Luke hugged Flora goodbye and wished her a safe journey. He did the same to the Professor, who was taken aback by the sudden hug but appreciated it all the same.

“I am ashamed to admit but I only have one bed in my apartment,” Hershel began as he parked outside his home and opened the door of the Laytonmobile for Flora to step out. “I could sleep on the sofa and you could take the bed for now and I will have a look for buying a separate bed for you soon.”

“Oh, thank you, Professor.” Flora didn’t really know how to respond. She was in shock from the sudden change in culture that she would have accepted anything that Layton had suggested to her.

“It’s quite alright, my dear. Now, let’s get you inside.”

It was evening by the time they had returned from St. Mystere so Hershel made a simple dinner, not knowing he would have someone else to cater to after his trip, and found things to pass the time with. These things were mostly puzzles that Flora took a little longer than Luke would to complete but Hershel was patient and encouraging. He was proud of her for trying, even if she did become frustrated at times.

When Flora began to yawn and her eyes began to droop, Hershel decided it was best for Flora to get some rest. He directed her to his bedroom and bathroom and said for her to come and say goodnight when she was ready for sleep.

When Flora emerged from Hershel’s room in a nightgown, he asked if he could come in and wish her a good night. She accepted, of course. Although she barely knew him at this time, the fact that he had been a gentleman this whole time and practically saved her life meant that she could trust him.

“Sleep well, my dear,” Hershel murmured. “Do you want me to turn out the light?”

“Yes please.”

Hershel turned off the light and closed the door as he left the room. He made sure to leave it slightly ajar just in case Flora didn’t want to be in total darkness. She was grateful for this as she would have been nervous if the room had been pitch black.

It took a long while for Flora to fall asleep. She was used to loud noises at night as she was at the top of a very noisy tower but these were different noises. Cars, alarms, people walking home after a night out… All these things were foreign to her and she kept flinching. She pulled the covers right up around herself and tried to think about something calming. She thought of her father and the wonderful memories they had together.

She finally got to sleep but she started dreaming about St. Mystere burning to the ground along with everyone she knew from there including her father. She was standing on a hill far away, watching it unfold. She tried to run forward to try to help but her feet were stuck to the floor. She was screaming and sobbing. Everyone was going to die… And she couldn't do anything.

“Flora!” Hershel's yell woke her up.

She was surprised to learn that she had tears on her face and her throat was sore. She must have been shouting in her sleep and that was what the Professor had heard.

“Flora? Are you alright?”

“P-Professor. I'm sorry. I-” She was shaking. That dream seemed so real and everything now seemed so different.

Hershel walked over towards her and knelt down, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Did you have a nightmare, my dear?”

Flora nodded. “I did. It felt so real.”

“Do you want to tell me what happened?”

She shook her head. “It's too scary for me to talk about.”

“I understand, my dear. You do not have to tell me.”

Flora was still a bit shaken from her dream and all of the new surroundings were slightly overwhelming for her. In a small voice, she told Hershel this.

“I could understand that, Flora. I'm sure the city life and living in a different home than before is very new to you. But I know that you will warm to it. It will just take time.”

Tears came to Flora's eyes. Hershel was saying all the right things in a gentle, almost paternal, tone and it brought back memories of her father. She suddenly flung her arms around Layton's neck and cried harder. She missed her old home dearly but she knew that the Professor would be there to help her through the rough patches.

Hershel was surprised but he held his daughter tight and hoped this would be enough to calm her. He wasn’t very experienced in being a father so he had a lot to learn. However, he thought that, as a guardian to Luke, he had some knowledge he could apply here.

“Is there anything I can do to help, dear? Possibly a cup of tea or hot chocolate?”

Flora giggled and Hershel smiled in relief that she seemed to be less frightened. “I thought you looked like a man who drinks tea.”

Hershel chuckled. “I am, actually. I suppose my hat gives off that impression.”

“Mhm. Can I have a hot chocolate, please? I don’t really like tea.”

“Of course, Flora. You just wait here and I’ll be back shortly.”

Flora looked up, panic in her eyes again. “Can I come with you? I…” She blushed, embarrassed of what she was confessing to. “I don’t want to be alone in here.”

Layton nodded. “By all means, you can accompany me. You can help me.”

Flora smiled and trailed after the Professor. She knew that she was 17 and that’s pretty grown up but she felt like a little kid; getting up in the middle of the night to have hot chocolate after being scared from a nightmare. She had plenty of nightmares in St Mystere but no one was there to comfort her after her papa died so she was grateful that she had the professor now.

Flora got the cocoa, milk, a tea bag and sugar (Hershel decided to have a cup of tea too) from the cupboards after some trial and error. Layton could have easily done this by himself but he wanted Flora to feel as if she was helping in some way and it would also keep her mind off her nightmare.

“Now be careful. It will be very hot.” The Professor handed Flora her mug.

“Thank you, Professor,” she said with a smile.

They both sat down on the sofa and sipped their hot beverages. They mostly sat in silence and Hershel was in danger of dozing off. He had never been good at getting enough sleep and that seemed to be catching up with him. It was 1 am and he had been up marking papers that he hadn’t completed before he had taken the trip to St Mystere.

Flora giggled. “You look so tired, Professor. Please go to sleep. Well, after you have finished your tea, of course.”

Hershel yawned but quickly covered his mouth with his hand, knowing it was ungentlemanly to yawn in front of others. “I will try, my dear. This hot tea is actually making me feel quite drowsy.”

“Oh, that’s good then! This hot chocolate is comforting too. I’ve never actually had one before. I’ve had tea before though but I don’t like it all that much.”

Hershel raised his eyebrows and then remembered that Flora had been raised in a town full of robots for her entire life. She didn’t know very much about the world outside of that. “Well, I am happy that I was able to give you your first mug of hot chocolate.”

They both laughed and it fell silent again. Flora felt content at this moment. The noises outside seem to be less frequent now and less daunting. She focused on the taste of her drink, the warmth in the room. She saw a white metal rectangle mounted to the wall and the heat seemed to come from that. She had no idea what it was but she was happy that it made the room warm. It felt nice. She could easily fall asleep here and have wonderful dreams.

Flora finished her mug, put it down on the table in front of her and lay back into the sofa. It was comfortable sitting here too. She yawned and blinked. Her eyelids were starting to close as they did earlier.

It wasn’t long before Hershel finished his cup and had to carry the sleeping Flora to the bedroom again. He was reluctant to leave her alone again just in case the same scenario repeated itself but he needed sleep himself.

Flora’s eyes fluttered opened as Hershel lay her down.

“Are you going to sleep, Professor?”

“Yes, but I will only be next door if you need me.”

She smiled. “Thank you, Papa. Goodnight.”

As Hershel left the room, he couldn’t stop himself from smiling. He hadn’t expected Flora to call her Papa, especially since it was really only their first day as a family. But it seemed natural to Flora as she didn’t seem to notice that she had even said it. He assumed it was because she was tired but he still appreciated it all the same.

Hershel was new at this parenting thing but he was happy that it was going in such a promising direction.


End file.
